Music news

• Maluma Performs ‘ADMV’ for ‘Dear Class of 2020′ Ceremony

  07-06-2020 23:56
  
  Maluma shared the love during the Dear Class of 2020 ceremony on Sunday (June 7). While many participating artists shared encouraging messages or uplifting songs, the Colombian superstar opted to sing about love.
  For his part in YouTube’s commencement event, Maluma shared a video for his latest song, “ADMV,” which stands for “Amor De Mi Vida” and translates to “Love Of My Life.” The video — which was not the official music video for the single &mda
  
  Read more

• Watch Tekashi 6ix9ine and Akon team up for ‘Locked Up’ sequel

  07-06-2020 23:48 via nme.com
  
  Tekashi 6ix9ine has teamed up with Akon to record a sequel to the Senegalese-American singer’s 2003 breakout single ‘Locked Up’ – watch the two collaborate below.
  Read more: The troubling rise of Tekashi 6ix9ine
  Earlier today (June 7), 6ix9ine, real name Daniel Hernandez, shared a clip of himself and Akon listening back to the record on Instagram. “LOCKED UP PART 2 IM ON ALBUM MODE,” he captioned the clip. “THIS ALBUM GOING CRAZYYYYYYY.”
  
  Read more

• Jennifer Lopez Salutes 2020 Graduates — And Malala

  07-06-2020 23:38
  
  With the coronavirus pandemic sidelining in-person graduation celebrations, YouTube’s star-studded Dear Class of 2020 livestream on Sunday (June 7) helped fill in the gap for students graduating this year.
  Following an address from Condoleezza Rice, Jennifer Lopez spoke to the class of 2020 and let them know that difficult times like these are also learning experiences. “Getting fired? Learning experience. Getting your heart broken? Learning experience. Graduating during a global cri
  
  Read more

• Mariah Carey Crashes ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Performance of ‘Hero’ during ‘Dear Class of 2020’ Commencement

  07-06-2020 23:10
  
  The cast of Schitt’s Creek reunited for YouTube Originals’ “Dear Class of 2020” commencement live stream on Sunday (June 7) — with one very special guest joining them. As the Rose family and their friends serenaded students with a rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Hero,” Carey herself hopped on the Zoom call, causing David (Daniel Levy) to lose his mind.
  After a minute of banter between Moira, Johnny, David and Alexis, six more recurring characters from
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Alicia Keys Performs ‘Underdog’ for ‘Dear Class of 2020′ Ceremony

  07-06-2020 22:50
  
  Alicia Keys opened ‘Dear Class of 2020′ with a special message, but she appeared again to perform during the festivities.
  Seated at her hot pink grand piano, the singer-songwriter played a slower version of her song ‘Underdog” for the graduates.
  “You get to be the writer, the author of your story. Of our story. And I just want you to know that everything that you need is right inside of you,” she said during an interlude.
  “I celebrate you. So honored to
  
  Read more

• As Bristol protesters topple slave trader statue, Colston Hall is working to change venue name

  07-06-2020 22:49 via nme.com
  
  Bristol music venue Colston Hall, which is named after a slave trader, says it’s working on changing its name because it “acts as a symbol of division”.
  Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protest
  It comes as protests continue to take place across the US and around the world after George Floyd, an African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis when a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine-minut
  
  Read more

• As Bristol protesters topple slave trader statue, Colston Hall is working to change its name

  07-06-2020 22:49 via nme.com
  
  Bristol music venue Colston Hall, which is named after a slave trader, says it’s working on changing its name because it “acts as a symbol of division.”
  Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protest
  It comes as protests continue to take place across the US and around the world after George Floyd, an African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis when a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine-minut
  
  Read more

• BTS Share Their Own Graduation Stories During YouTube Dear Class of 2020 Celebration

  07-06-2020 22:41
  
  BTS (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook) gave a powerful commencement speech during YouTube’s virtual “Dear Class of 2020″ graduation celebration on Sunday (June 7).
  Wearing sleek black suits, the seven members recorded their contribution to the event from the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, South Korea. Each took turns sharing messages of hope and inspiration for the class of 2020 in both Korean and English, while revealing their own graduation stories and memorie
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Watch Bono Introduce All-Star Cover of ‘Beautiful Day’ on ‘Dear Class of 2020’ Special

  07-06-2020 22:28 via rollingstone.com
  
  Finneas recruits Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Camila Cabello, Ty Dolla $ign, Tove Lo, Khalid and more for "remix" of U2's 2000 hit
  
  Read more

• Beyonce Speaks on Protests, Shares Secret to Success in Stirring ‘Dear Class of 2020’ Commencement Speech

  07-06-2020 22:01
  
  Leave it to Queen Bey to steal the spotlight during a star-studded virtual commencement ceremony: Beyonce delivered a stirring, extended speech during YouTube Originals’ “Dear Class of 2020” live stream on Sunday (June 7), touching upon recent protests, sharing her secret to success and generally providing the class of 2020 with a beautifully rendered image of motivation.“Dear graduates: Please remember to take a little bit of time to give thanks to your family members an
  
  Read more

• Finneas Leads All-Star Cover of a U2 Classic During YouTube’s Dear Class of 2020

  07-06-2020 22:00
  
  With the coronavirus pandemic sidelining in-person graduation celebrations, YouTube’s star-studded Dear Class of 2020 livestream on Sunday (June 7) helped fill in the gap for students graduating this year.
  Finneas, Grammy-winning brother of Billie Eilish and solo artist in his own right, joined forces with Camila Cabello, Noah Cyrus, Cynthia Erivo, Khalid and many others to deliver a rendition of U2’s “Beautiful Day” during the livestream.
  Prior to the Finneas-produced co
  
  Read more

• Taylor Swift Reveals Her High School Graduation Wasn’t What She Expected in ‘ Dear Class of 2020′

  07-06-2020 21:39
  
  Taylor Swift didn’t get the high school graduation she imagined either.
  In YouTube Originals’ ‘Dear Class of 2020′,’ Swift addressed the graduates by telling a story of how she was on tour and couldn’t attend her own ceremony.
  “I know this isn’t the kind of graduation you thought you were going to be having,” she said. “I ended up getting mailed my diploma”
  “It wasn’t exactly what I had pictured,” she contin
  
  Read more

• Shawn Mendes Shouts Out Grads, Students Perform His Hit ‘There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back’ at ‘Dear Class of 2020′ Commencement

  07-06-2020 21:38
  
  There’s nothing holding the graduates of 2020 back! During the ‘Dear Class of 2020′ YouTube special on Sunday (June 7), Shawn Mendes’ hit song “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” was performed by the AMDA College of Performing Arts Choir and the Diamond Bar High School marching band.
  During the pretaped performance, the musicians wore blue caps and gowns with blue tassels while marching out onto a football field to perform the song. The scenes then c
  
  Read more

• Janelle Monae, Kelly Rowland & More Recite Maya Angelou Poem For YouTube’s Dear Class of 2020 Celebration

  07-06-2020 21:38
  
  Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelly Rowland, Shonda Rhimes, Yara Shahidi, Janelle Monae and more recited Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” poem during YouTube’s virtual “Dear Class of 2020″ commencement celebration on Sunday (June 7).
  Each woman took turns reading lines from the poem such as, “Does my sexiness upset you?/ Does it come as a surprise/ That I dance like I’ve got diamonds/ At the meeting of my thighs?”
  The montage also featured clips of Angelou
  
  Read more

• Justin Timberlake Helps Open YouTube’s Dear Class of 2020 Celebration

  07-06-2020 21:24
  
  Justin Timberlake appeared at the top of YouTube’s Dear Class of 2020 celebration, a celebrity-studded virtual party to salute this year’s graduates who can’t get together in person thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
  “So 2020 decided to test you… and this is harder than any test or final you had all your life,” Timberlake said, sending in a video from what appeared to be the Man of the Woods’ cabin in the woods.
  “I get it – it’s not f
  
  Read more

• Alicia Keys Has a Message for Graduates at the ‘Dear Class of 2020′ Commencement

  07-06-2020 21:19
  
  Alicia Keys has a message for graduates of the class of 2020.
  During YouTube Originals’ ‘Dear Class of 2020′ commencement, Alicia Keys opened the special by talking directly to the students missing out on their ceremonies due to the Coronavirus crisis, while mentioning the ongoing protests due to George Floyd’s death and police brutality.
  “You’re showing that your generation is the one that’s going to heal us,” she said.”I will always be by y
  
  Read more

• Watch Lizzo’s Powerhouse Flute Performance to Kick Off ‘Dear Class of 2020’ Commencement

  07-06-2020 21:14
  
  Lizzo began YouTube Originals’ “Dear Class of 2020” commencement live stream in rousing fashion on Sunday (June 7), wielding her beloved flute to deliver a twist on the timeless “Pomp and Circumstance.”“Congratulations to the class of 2020! Now let’s turn it up!,” the “Truth Hurts” singer announced midway through the performance, during which floating heads of the New York Philharmonic accompanied her on the live stream. Along with a tr
  
  Read more

• Lady Gaga Scores Sixth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With ‘Chromatica’

  07-06-2020 21:00
  
  Lady Gaga notches her sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with the chart-topping debut of Chromatica. The set starts with 274,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 4, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data — the biggest week for any album by a woman in 2020.
  Chromatica was released on May 29 via Interscope Records. The set was led by the singles “Stupid Love” and “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande. The former debuted and peaked at No. 5
  
  Read more

• Adam Lambert calls out Donald Trump for failure to “even try to act presidential amidst the chaos”

  07-06-2020 20:53 via nme.com
  
  Adam Lambert has called out Donald Trump after the US president said in a press conference that it was “a great day” for George Floyd after his death sparked worldwide protests.
  Read more: Trump protest anthems: Our pick of the many, many anti-Trump songs
  Protests are continuing across the US and around the world after Floyd, an African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis when a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine-minutes and ignored the man’s pleas
  
  Read more

• 6ix9ine Teases Updated Take on Akon’s 2004 Song ‘Locked Up’: Watch

  07-06-2020 20:40
  
  6ix9ine is hard at work on his next album, and he’s recruited Akon to assist in the process.
  The 24-year-old rainbow-haired rapper, who was recently granted an early prison release amid the coronavirus pandemic, took to social media Sunday (June 7) to share a clip of himself rapping new lyrics over the beat of Akon’s 2004 song “Locked Up.”
  “LOCKED UP PART 2 IM ON ALBUM MODE,” 6ix9ine captioned the clip, which shows Akon dancing by his side. “THIS ALBUM G
  
  Read more

• Mary Lambert, Tegan and Sara Slam J.K. Rowling for ‘Disgraceful’ Anti-Trans Tweets

  07-06-2020 20:36
  
  J.K. Rowling is facing renewed criticism after making several anti-transgender tweets on Saturday (June 6), and some artists aren’t being shy about calling her out.
  The firestorm kicked off when the author, known for her wildly popular Harry Potter novels, shared an opinion piece on Twitter that featured the headline “Creating a More Equal Post-COVID-19 World for People Who Menstruate” along with her own message: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there
  
  Read more

• See Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, BTS Honor Graduates on ‘Dear Class of 2020’ Special

  07-06-2020 20:18 via rollingstone.com
  
  Michelle and Barack Obama, BTS, Katy Perry, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion and many more take part in four-hour YouTube special
  
  Read more

• Royal Blood call for people to educate themselves more on social injustice following recent protests

  07-06-2020 20:10 via nme.com
  
  Royal Blood have called for people to educate themselves more on social injustice following recent protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.
  Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protest
  The protests that are continuing across the US and around the world after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine-minutes and ignored the man’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe.
  The
  
  Read more

• DaBaby & Roddy Ricch and Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande continue battle for top spot

  07-06-2020 19:55 via music-news.com
  
  The Official Chart: First Look, which airs on BBC Radio 1 today between 6pm – 7pm, offers a first glance of the Top 20 ahead of Friday’s Official
  
  Read more

• Fans Choose Kane Brown’s ‘Worldwide Beautiful’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

  07-06-2020 19:45
  
  Kane Brown’s uplifting new song “Worldwide Beautiful” has topped this week’s new music poll.
  In the poll, published Friday (June 5) on Billboard, music fans voted for the Dann Huff-produced track, which Brown has dedicated to the movement against racism and discrimination. The uplifting number brought in nearly 50% of the vote.
  “I’m releasing this song early that I’ve been holding onto for a year,” Brown wrote on Instagram. “I’m hoping
  
  Read more

• Doja Cat donates $100,000 to fund set up to honour Breonna Taylor

  07-06-2020 19:15 via nme.com
  
  Doja Cat has announced that she’s donated $100,000 to a fund set up to honour the life of Breonna Taylor, an ER technician who was shot and killed by police officers in March.
  Read more: Doja Cat – ‘Hot Pink’ review: the viral ‘Mooo!’ star proves she’s a mainstream rap contender
  Taylor was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers on March 13 after they entered her home with a no-knock warrant, which allowed the police to ent
  
  Read more

• Randy Rainbow Goes in Search of President Trump in ‘Bunker Boy’ Video: Watch

  07-06-2020 18:54
  
  Randy Rainbow is searching high and low for President Trump in his hilarious new parody video.
  Randy’s latest song, titled “The Bunker Boy,” is a reference to a social media nickname given to the president after he denied being rushed to an underground White House bunker amid recent protests in Washington, D.C., following the death of George Floyd.
  Set to the jazzy tune of “The Jitterbug,” a song cut from the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, “The Bunker Boy
  
  Read more

• 34 Times Parody Singer Randy Rainbow Roasted Donald Trump

  07-06-2020 18:00
  
  Shady singer extraordinaire Randy Rainbow is well-known for his politically charged parody videos. Although they started off as mock interviews with politicians and celebrities, Randy eventually showed off his singing abilities in parody music videos based on Broadway tunes and pop hits. In these videos, Randy has taken a particular interest in President Trump and his administration.
  Not only does he have incredibly versatile vocals, Randy is also a hilariously talented lyricist. His s
  
  Read more

• Claude Heater, Opera Singer Who Played Jesus in ‘Ben-Hur,’ Dies at 92

  07-06-2020 17:18
  
  Claude Heater, the famed opera singer who appeared with his face unseen as Jesus Christ in William Wyler’s epic 1959 production of Ben-Hur, has died. He was 92.
  A noted Wagnerian tenor, Heater died May 28 at St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco of natural causes after a long illness, according to an announcement on his foundation website.
  While performing in Rome, Heater was spotted by Ben-Hur production manager Henry Henigson, who was struck by the singer’s “magnif
  
  Read more

• Snoop Dogg Is ‘Definitely’ Going to Vote for the First Time in 2020: ‘I Can’t Stand to See This Punk in Office’

  07-06-2020 17:07
  
  Snoop Dogg is going to make his voice heard at the polls. The rapper called in to Big Boy’s Neighborhood discuss the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests on June 4, and shared that it’ll be his first time casting a ballot.
  “For many years, they had me brainwashed thinking that you couldn’t [vote] because you had a criminal record. I didn’t know that,” he explained to the host. The rapper had been convicted for felony drug possession in 1
  
  Read more

• Prince Estate Shares Timely Handwritten Note from Late Icon on His 62nd Birthday

  07-06-2020 17:07
  
  To help mark Prince’s 62nd birthday on Sunday (June 7), the estate of the late icon has shared a powerful message from the artist about intolerance.
  Prince’s timely words arrives at a time when the nation is protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was suffocated by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
  “Nothing more ugly in the whole wide world than INTOLERANCE (between) Black, white, red, yellow, boy or girl. INTOLERANCE,” reads the handw
  
  Read more

• Prince Estate Shares Timely Handwritten Note From Late Icon and ‘Baltimore’ Video on His 62nd Birthday

  07-06-2020 17:07
  
  To help mark Prince’s 62nd birthday on Sunday (June 7), the estate of the late icon has shared a powerful message from the artist about intolerance.
  Prince’s timely words arrive at a time when the nation is protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was suffocated by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
  “Nothing more ugly in the whole wide world than INTOLERANCE (between) Black, white, red, yellow, boy or girl. INTOLERANCE,” reads the handwr
  
  Read more

• See Roger Daltrey, Harry Hudson Talk Cancer Benefit Gigs, Recovery Advice in Interview Excerpt

  07-06-2020 17:03 via rollingstone.com
  
  The Who singer and Teen Cancer America co-founder chats with emerging artist and Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor to mark National Cancer Survivors Day
  
  Read more

• ‘Why I Protest’: Kali Uchis on Why She Marches in Solidarity With Black Lives Matter

  07-06-2020 16:00
  
  Amid national outrage over the recent death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, thousands of people have taken the streets to protest demanding justice for Floyd and other black citizens who have died in the hands of police.
  Colombian-American songstress Kali Uchis was among the protestors who marched in solidarity with Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles the weekend of May 30. “All L
  
  Read more

• Powerful Prince statement on racial intolerance shared to mark 62nd birthday

  07-06-2020 15:47 via nme.com
  
  Prince‘s estate have shared a powerful and timely statement from the late star on racial intolerance.
  The new quote has been shared to mark what would’ve been Prince’s 62nd birthday (June 7) and the ongoing series of Black Lives Matter protests across the globe.Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protest“Prince dedicated his life to speaking out against injustice, advocating for black excellence, and spreading the
  
  Read more

• Leigh-Anne Pinnock warned she'd have to 'work harder' because she's black

  07-06-2020 15:45 via music-news.com
  
  The singer described the inequality she has experienced despite her fame.
  
  Read more

• Jade Thirlwall frustrated over photo mix-up with Leigh-Anne Pinnock

  07-06-2020 15:45 via music-news.com
  
  A picture of Leigh-Anne was used to accompany a story about Jade on news website MSN.
  
  Read more

• Aston Merrygold is dad of two

  07-06-2020 15:45 via music-news.com
  
  The singer is already father to two-year-old Grayson.
  
  Read more

• Watch St. Vincent discuss the Movement for Black Lives with organiser Jessica Byrd

  07-06-2020 15:02 via nme.com
  
  St. Vincent has shared an online conversation with political organiser and Three Point Strategies founder Jessica Byrd in which the pair discuss defunding the police, what people can do to help combat institutional racism, and the responsibilities of the music industry.
  Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protest
  The pair spoke in the wake of worldwide protests after George Floyd died while being detained by US police on May 25, sparking
  
  Read more

• BTS Donate $1 Million to Black Lives Matter

  07-06-2020 15:02 via rollingstone.com
  
  "We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives"
  
  Read more

• Watch YouTube Originals’ ‘Dear Class of 2020′ All-Star Commencement

  07-06-2020 14:00
  
  Today is the big day! YouTube Originals presents the “Dear Class of 2020″ commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. ET, which will open with Lizzo and the New York Philharmonic performing “Pomp and Circumstance” and remarks from Alicia Keys.
  Former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, BTS, Lady Gaga, Secretary Robert M. Gates, Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Sundar Pichai and Malala Yousafzai will serve as the official
  
  Read more

• Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello celebrates 10 years of huge Finsbury Park show

  07-06-2020 13:20 via nme.com
  
  Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello has celebrated 10 years of the band’s legendary Finsbury Park gig in London.
  The 2010 show was held for free after a campaign to get the band’s hit ‘Killing In The Name’ to Christmas Number 1 on the UK charts was successful.Read more: The Big Read – Tom Morello: “If we can’t punch Nazis, who can we punch really?”“10 years ago today Rage Against The Machine performed a free ‘Victory Concert&
  
  Read more

• George Floyd’s rap collaborator remembers “legendary” freestyler

  07-06-2020 13:12 via nme.com
  
  Chris Ward, a friend and former collaborator with George Floyd, has discussed the the pair’s freestyle rap performances and wider bond in a new interview following Floyd’s death.Read more: How to support Black Lives Matter and anti-racist organisations if you can’t protestFloyd, 46, died in Minneapolis on May 25 following an altercation with police officers. The incident led to hundreds protesting on the streets in Minnesota, and dozens of demonstrations have now been held worl
  
  Read more

• Dolly Parton gets up early to chat to God

  07-06-2020 12:52 via music-news.com
  
  The 74-year-old country music superstar has a very strong faith and she revealed she likes to rise "in the wee hours" to pray before she gets busy.
  
  Read more

• Matt Goss saves the life of a suicidal fan during an online chat

  07-06-2020 12:50 via music-news.com
  
  The 51-year-old singer has revealed he was approached by a distressed fan who wanted to kill herself during a live session last month
  
  Read more

• Flatbush Zombies share new EP and announce charity merch line: “There is a fight going on outside”

  07-06-2020 12:49 via nme.com
  
  Flatbush Zombies have shared a new six-track EP – listen to ‘now, more than ever’ below.
  “We are going to keep this simple because time is precious right now,” the trio said in a message to fans, announcing the new EP, which is the band’s first new release of 2020.
  “There is a fight going on outside. They are coming for our hearts, minds, and souls. Black bodies are under attack. Flatbush is for the people. Always has been. Always will be.”They con
  
  Read more

• Noel Gallagher ate Greggs every day

  07-06-2020 12:42 via music-news.com
  
  The 53-year-old rock star has admitted to having an unhealthy obsession with the bakery chain during his younger years, saying eating at
  
  Read more

• Sharon Osbourne 'feels free' after ditching red locks

  07-06-2020 12:00 via music-news.com
  
  The 67-year-old host made the leap to become silvery white back in February, after decades of having her auburn hair dyed a vibrant shade of red.
  
  Read more

• Mr. Bungle share cover of The Exploited’s ‘USA’ in first recording for over 20 years

  07-06-2020 11:59 via nme.com
  
  Mr. Bungle have released a cover of The Exploited’s ‘USA’, with all proceeds going to coronavirus relief efforts.
  The band, fronted by Faith No More‘s Mike Patton and joined by original members Trevor Dunn (bass) and Trey Spruance (guitar), played a series of reunion shows in February of this year. At the time, they teased a potential return to the studio to record new music.
  Now Mr. Bungle have shared what would appear to be the first taste of those sessions, a cover of
  
  Read more

• RZA shares Bruce Lee-inspired new track ‘Be Like Water’

  07-06-2020 11:02 via nme.com
  
  RZA has paid tribute to Bruce Lee in a new song ‘Be Like Water’.
  The rapper has often cited Lee as an inspiration, with Wu-Tang Clan‘s debut album ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ famously referencing 1973’s Enter the Dragon, the legendary martial arts star’s final film before his death, as well as the Shaw Brothers’ The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.Read more: ‘Gravel Pit’, Young Dirty Bastard and a shameless Nirvana cover — how could
  
  Read more

Follow @Music_News_US on Twitter!